After three years, a new chapter of the Netflix series Hellbound has opened. Released on October 25, Season 2 brings the return of Director Yeon Sang-ho, who co-wrote the script with Choi Gyu-seok, the creator of the original webtoon. The unsettling premise remains unchanged: individuals receive mysterious decrees condemning them to hell, and demonic messengers incinerate their bodies before dragging their souls to their fate. This season’s twist? Some of those sent to hell have “returned”. We spoke with Kim Sung-cheol, who takes on the role of New Truth’s leader, Jung Jinsu, in Season 2.

“Enjoy the world I’ve created to your heart’s content." In Hellbound Season 2, Kim Sung-cheol joins the cast as Jung Jinsu, the first chairman of the New Truth. Did he feel any pressure taking on a character already familiar to fans? He recalls his experiences on the musical stage. “In musicals, the same character is often portrayed by different actors, so comparisons are inevitable. I’m used to that, and I believe each actor brings their own unique charm, so I approached it without much burden.” As an avid viewer of Hellbound Season 1 turned cast member, Kim immersed himself in the world of the series, reading both the script and the original webtoon repeatedly. His focus was understanding "Jung Jinsu’s goal”. He explained, “When starting a project, I handwrite the script. Through this process, certain phrases that recur for my character start to stand out. I came to see that, from beginning to end, Jung Jinsu is haunted by fear. He’s a character skilled at reading and manipulating others, yet he prefers to control from behind the scenes rather than stepping into the spotlight. If he were truly fearless, why would he care about how others perceive him? His intense fear is evident. Though he acts nonchalant as the chairman, inside he’s deeply shaken by fear.” While highlighting the contradictions in Jung Jinsu, Kim also paid special attention to the character's tone of voice, in line with Director Yeon Sang-ho's guidance: “He wanted Jung Jinsu’s voice and expressions to feel unusual, even grotesque.” Reflecting on the months spent filming Hellbound Season 2 last year, Kim shared, “It was fascinating to play someone who isn’t a king or hero, yet whose every word is perceived as truth.

Among the first three episodes screened at this year’s Busan International Film Festival, Kim Sung-cheol highlighted one scene as particularly memorable: the moment when Jung Jin-soo reveals to Jin Kyung-hoon (played by Yang Ik-june) that he received a decree to go to hell twenty years prior. “I referred heavily to the webtoon for this scene. Jung Jin-soo believes that the pain he’s endured since receiving the decree should be known by everyone. He confides in Kyung-hoon, hoping he will understand him. It’s a crucial scene to imprint who Jung Jin-soo is and what he wants to achieve, so I went over the script every day, from the first meeting with the production team right up to filming, to ensure nothing was overlooked.”

Ultimately, Jung Jinsu suffers after being dragged to hell by demonic beings. Since these scenes required CG effects, the actors had to rely on their imaginations during filming. “This is part of why I started acting. I tend to imagine vividly and trust in those images. So, using the CG references, I envisioned where the demonic messengers would burst out or the walls would collapse. It made filming more enjoyable.” After nine intense hours, these powerful scenes were complete.

In the world of Hellbound, Jung Jinsu’s resurrection is a major event, yet actor Kim Sung-cheol believes that “Jung Jinsu himself wouldn’t think of it as a ‘resurrection.’” He explains, “Having been dragged through various hells and tormented, Jung Jinsu is confused about whether he’s truly returned to reality or is in yet another hell. So rather than emphasizing his resurrection, it was more important to convey his anxiety about when he might be dragged back to hell again.” Switching seamlessly between the perspectives of actor and viewer, Kim exudes firm confidence and conviction in Hellbound Season 2.

Written by Jo Hyun-na, Photos by Choi Sung-yeol, Translated by Jang Yuri